diff --git a/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-posts-controller.php b/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-posts-controller.php
index d6afdef470af2..11bc499fc6720 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-posts-controller.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-posts-controller.php
@@ -337,6 +337,13 @@ public function get_items( $request ) {
 			}
 		}
 
+		if (
+			isset( $registered['search_semantics'], $request['search_semantics'] )
+			&& 'exact' === $request['search_semantics']
+		) {
+			$args['exact'] = true;
+		}
+
 		$args = $this->prepare_tax_query( $args, $request );
 
 		// Force the post_type argument, since it's not a user input variable.
@@ -2886,6 +2893,12 @@ public function get_collection_params() {
 			);
 		}
 
+		$query_params['search_semantics'] = array(
+			'description' => __( 'How to interpret the search input.' ),
+			'type'        => 'string',
+			'enum'        => array( 'exact' ),
+		);
+
 		$query_params['offset'] = array(
 			'description' => __( 'Offset the result set by a specific number of items.' ),
 			'type'        => 'integer',
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-attachments-controller.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-attachments-controller.php
index 737c32b8e1ab1..55ea686d22f25 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-attachments-controller.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-attachments-controller.php
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ public function test_registered_query_params() {
 				'per_page',
 				'search',
 				'search_columns',
+				'search_semantics',
 				'slug',
 				'status',
 			),
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-pages-controller.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-pages-controller.php
index 209229256a11f..9717a7fcda1c6 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-pages-controller.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-pages-controller.php
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ public function test_registered_query_params() {
 				'per_page',
 				'search',
 				'search_columns',
+				'search_semantics',
 				'slug',
 				'status',
 			),
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-posts-controller.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-posts-controller.php
index 8b81b9f648651..3085d066fc6ae 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-posts-controller.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-posts-controller.php
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ public function test_registered_query_params() {
 				'per_page',
 				'search',
 				'search_columns',
+				'search_semantics',
 				'slug',
 				'status',
 				'sticky',
@@ -765,6 +766,64 @@ public function test_get_items_status_without_permissions() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 56350
+	 *
+	 * @dataProvider data_get_items_exact_search
+	 *
+	 * @param string $search_term  The search term.
+	 * @param bool   $exact_search Whether the search is an exact or general search.
+	 * @param int    $expected     The expected number of matching posts.
+	 */
+	public function test_get_items_exact_search( $search_term, $exact_search, $expected ) {
+		self::factory()->post->create(
+			array(
+				'post_title'   => 'Rye',
+				'post_content' => 'This is a post about Rye Bread',
+			)
+		);
+
+		self::factory()->post->create(
+			array(
+				'post_title'   => 'Types of Bread',
+				'post_content' => 'Types of bread are White and Rye Bread',
+			)
+		);
+
+		$request           = new WP_REST_Request( 'GET', '/wp/v2/posts' );
+		$request['search'] = $search_term;
+		if ( $exact_search ) {
+			$request['search_semantics'] = 'exact';
+		}
+		$response = rest_get_server()->dispatch( $request );
+		$this->assertCount( $expected, $response->get_data() );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Data provider for test_get_items_exact_search().
+	 *
+	 * @return array[]
+	 */
+	public function data_get_items_exact_search() {
+		return array(
+			'general search, one exact match and one partial match' => array(
+				'search_term'  => 'Rye',
+				'exact_search' => false,
+				'expected'     => 2,
+			),
+			'exact search, one exact match and one partial match' => array(
+				'search_term'  => 'Rye',
+				'exact_search' => true,
+				'expected'     => 1,
+			),
+			'exact search, no match and one partial match' => array(
+				'search_term'  => 'Rye Bread',
+				'exact_search' => true,
+				'expected'     => 0,
+			),
+		);
+	}
+
 	public function test_get_items_order_and_orderby() {
 		self::factory()->post->create(
 			array(
diff --git a/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js b/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js
index 7e97f19b18588..e674a12b4ea08 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/fixtures/wp-api-generated.js
@@ -362,6 +362,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "default": [],
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",
@@ -1719,6 +1727,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "type": "integer",
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",
@@ -2820,6 +2836,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "default": [],
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",
@@ -3571,6 +3595,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "default": [],
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",
@@ -4382,6 +4414,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "default": [],
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",
@@ -6995,6 +7035,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "default": [],
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",
@@ -7812,6 +7860,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "default": [],
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",
@@ -8017,6 +8073,14 @@ mockedApiResponse.Schema = {
                             "default": [],
                             "required": false
                         },
+                        "search_semantics": {
+                            "description": "How to interpret the search input.",
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "enum": [
+                                "exact"
+                            ],
+                            "required": false
+                        },
                         "offset": {
                             "description": "Offset the result set by a specific number of items.",
                             "type": "integer",